The Denver Broncos have drafted stud after stud over the years, and it's largely been a very successful NFL Draft tenure for General Manager George Paton, who is now already set to embark on his sixth NFL Draft class as the decision-maker in Denver.
Funnily enough, his 2021 class featuring Patrick Surtain II, Quinn Meinerz, and Jonathon Cooper was not only his first as the Broncos GM, but also the best. The Broncos, though, do not have a ton of capital in this year's draft thanks to the Jaylen Waddle trade, so the odds that Paton is able to bring in another class like 2021 are low.
But the GM has certainly made some mistakes during his time with the franchise, and in this re-draft of the 2025 NFL Draft class, the Broncos are seen making what could have been an ideal pick for the offense, and it could have solved a major position of need.
Denver Broncos select RB Ashton Jeanty at pick 20 in 2025 NFL Draft redo
For The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner redrafted the 2025 NFL Draft class, and when the 20th pick rolled around, the Broncos were able to take Ashton Jeanty, a former running back from Boise State who did end up going to the Las Vegas Raiders:
"20. Denver Broncos: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Original pick: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Jeanty was always a running back worthy of a first-round pick, and many people are now overlooking the fact that he had more than 1,300 scrimmage yards (and 55 catches) on a terrible team. He’ll be fine. I do think Jeremiyah Love is a better prospect, though."
It may not have been at all realistic to suggest that Jeanty would have fallen to pick 20, but during that year's draft cycle, there were mock drafts out there that did have this happening. Jeanty went well before the Broncos had a chance to draft him, but he went to the Raiders and had a pretty forgettable season.
That's primarily due to the Raiders being a dumpster fire and not at all indicative of the player he is. Had the Broncos been able to take Jeanty, the entire outlook of the offense would have changed in 2025, and it could have ended in a Super Bowl title.
Denver ended up going with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, a duo with complementary skillsets, but Dobbins' injury history reared its ugly head in 2025. Now, with Dobbins and Harvey still in the picture, the Broncos are still forced to go out and find another reliable option.
The team's inability to run the ball when Dobbins went down impacted the offense big-time. It put much more on the plate of Bo Nix than necessary, but at the same time, Nix got better as the regular season rolled on, so it does feel extra frustating that Denver wasn't able to run the ball well.
Nix led the Broncos in rushing yards during the Divisional Round victory against the Buffalo Bills, too. Had Denver drafted Jeanty, we're likely talking about a team that at least made it to the Super Bowl. Furthermore, a strong run game helps out any quarterback, so Nix's production would have risen with Jeanty as the starting player in the backfield.
The fit that many saw with Jeanty and the Broncos was something that honestly dominated the 2025 draft cycle at times. However, there is still a lot of potential in the team's backfield right now. Dobbins could suddenly stay on the field for a full season. Harvey could figure out how to better run between the tackles, and the Broncos could always further boost the room in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Add us as a preferred source on Google